Surface modifications through dealloying of Fe–Mn and Fe–Mn–Zn alloys developed to create tailorable, nanoporous, bioresorbable surfaces

Abstract The effects and mechanisms of dealloying Zn-diffused Fe–Mn alloys over a wide range of processing parameters have been investigated using a four-step surface modification technique. The dealloying process was applied to construct tailorable, nanoporous Fe–Mn alloys for the development of functional, bioresorbable implants. The results showed that nanoscale features can be deliberately designed by selectively leaching out the less noble metals from the outer surface layer to create an extensive variety of porous topographies. It was found that initial microstructure, Zn diffusion time, etching rate, annealing temperature and time, and the type of etching media all play a role in customizing the resulting dealloyed morphology. The resulting nano-sized structures have the potential to enhance initial cell attachment for future bioactive, resorbable materials.